MSD budget

Hamilton County commissioners have several budget proposals and not a lot of time to reconcile them. Board President Todd Portune wants a vote on Wednesday. He turned in his ideas Monday morning, admitting they weren't complete.

The Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) is recommending sewer rates stay the same next year. Director Gerald Checco says the district's recommended 2018 operating budget is eight percent lower than this year.

The Metropolitan Sewer District could save nearly $2 million a year with a few operational changes.

Ohio State Auditor's office spokesman Ben Marrison says a performance audit suggests cutting down the size of the vehicle fleet, outsourcing dispatching, and reducing the size of the IT department. Marrison says trimming that one department could save more than $1.5 million.

The last Hamilton County commission meeting of 2017 produced a temporary general fund budget, a budget for the Metropolitan Sewer District, and started the ball rolling on a new crime lab for the coroner's office.

The Metropolitan Sewer District is asking for a 4.59 percent sewer rate increase next year. Director Gerald Checco presented the district's budget proposal at a public hearing at Wednesday's county commission meeting. The budget includes operating expenses, some capital improvement, and debt service.

A task force set up to review Metropolitan Sewer District rates has delivered its report to Hamilton County Commissioners. The committee's chair, Tom Moeller, says it worked with an eye on keeping rates affordable for customers, while meeting MSD's operational and capital needs, including improvements ordered by the consent decree.

Hamilton County sewer rates could go up 5.5 percent next year. That's the recommendation from county administrators.

Rates have been increasing for several years and are expected to keep doing so to pay for the multi-billion dollar, federally mandated sewer system upgrade. Last year, commissioners approved a six percent increase.

County Commissioners approved the Metropolitan Sewer District's 2014 budget, which includes a six percent rate hike. MSD is undergoing a massive multi-billion dollar system overhaul required by a federal consent decree.

MSD had asked for a $226.7 million operating budget but the county's new utility oversight director, Dave Meyer, says the sewer district can get by with $210.7 million. Commissioners chose to follow Meyer's recommendation.